Protective pad



July 18, 1939. s. ASH 2,166,837

PROTECTIVE PAD Filed March 9, 1939 INVENTOR S. ASH

BY SNQ VQLA ATTORNEY Patented July 1 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 216,722, filed June 30,

This invention relates to protective pads for tables or the like, and has among its objects an improved sectional protective pad with novel easily engageable and disengageable interlocking means for interlocking the individual pad sections into a unitary structure, when it is placed on the table or on the object which is to be protected.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be best understood from the following exemplifications thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a top view of a sectional table pad exemplifying the invention, a part of the interlocking arrangement being exposed;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the interlocking portions of adjacent table pad sections;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the interlocking element of the pad section shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of interlocking element shown in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is illustrated a sectional table pad exemplifying the invention. It comprises two pad sections I I, I2 having overlapping tongues I3, I4 respectively. For convenience in storing, the individual pad sections II and I2 are composed of a plurality of foldable subsections folded along lines I5.

The individual pad sections II, I2 are shown made of outer layers I5 composed of several plies of cardboard and an intermediate layer H of heat-insulating material, such as an asbestos or felt composition. The several layers of each section are shown united by a plurality of staples or by cementing into a firm pad section. The tongues I3, Id of the two pad sections II, I2 are formed of extensions of the cardboard plies forming an outer layer of the sections II, I2, respectively.

A covering of felt 2I and a covering of waterproof material 22 such as oil cloth are cemented to the unitary layer structure of the laminated pads, the edges of the coverings being tucked under the edges of the adjacent layers in the way shown in Fig. 2.

In order to interlock the adjacent pad sections II, I2 when they are placed on the table, the overlapping tongues I3, I4 are provided with a plurality of sets of readily engageable and disengageable interlocking plate members 25, 26 in the form of sheet portions of a material much stronger than cardboard, such as metal, each of the interlocking plate members 25, 26 having an inward portion clamped between the outer layers TIVE PAD Bronx, N. Y.

1939, Serial No. 260,721

I5 of the pad section, and an outwardly extending interlocking portion overlapping the tongue, so as to act as a reinforcement therefor.

As shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5, the outward portion of the female interlocking plate member 25 of the tongue I3 of one table section I1 is formed of a strip of sheet metal bent to fit over the edge of the tongue I3 and form a U- shaped clamp embracing and reinforcing the cardboard plies of the tongue I3. The longer inner arm 2! of the U-shaped interlocking plate member has the center portion suitably deformed, for instance, in the way shown in Fig. 5, to form an oblong grooved portion 28 extending through a hole in the plies of the tongue I3 and terminating in a bent flange 29 overlapping the edges of the cardboard plies so as to hold them firmly clamped and act as an additional reinforcement for the tongue I3.

As shown in Fig. 3, the cooperating male interlocking plate member 26 of the tongue I4 of the other table section I2 is likewise formed of a strip of sheet metal bent to fit over the edge of the tongue I4 and form a U-shaped clamp reinforcing the cardboard plies forming the tongue I4 and an interlocking projection 32 for engaging the grooved interlocking portion 28 oi the interlocking plate member 25. Rivets 33 extending through the plies of the tongue i4 and the overlapping arms of the U-shaped interlocking plate member 25 serve as an additional reinforcement for the tongue I4.

The length of U-shaped interlocking projection 32 of interlocking plate member 26 is somewhat shorter than the length of the interlocking grooved portion 28 of interlocking plate member 25 to permit easy registration of the interlocking projection 32 with the grooved portion 28 when the pad sections are placed on the table, and to reduce the accuracy required in locating the interlocking plate members 25, 25 on the overlapping tongues I3, I4 of the pad section. One side wall of the grooved portion 28 may be shaped to provide in the lower portion of the groove a pocket 36 for receiving a bulging portion of the interlocking spring projection 32 to secure a firm, readily engageable and disengageable interlocking engagement between the assembled pad sections II, I2.

Where longer tables are to be covered with such pad sections, one or more intermediate pad sections is placed between the padsections II and I2, having similar cooperating sets of interlock ing plate members, 25, 26 on their overlapping tongues, for interlocking with the grooves 28 of section I I with interlocking spring projections 32 of the facing flange of the intermediate pad section. The interlocking plate members 25, 26 of the interlocking arrangement described above act not only as interlocking elements for the a la- 60 ii i cent pad sections ll, 12, but also serve to reinforce the flanged edge portions [3, M of the adjacent pad sections. If a table is to be covered with the table pad sections H and I2, table pad section II is first placed on the table and thereupon table pad section I2 is placed thereover with the edge It overlapping the edge l3 and the two sections are moved longitudinally along their tongues until the somewhat elongated interlocking projections 32 drop into the grooves 28 of the cooperating interlocking plate member 25. Since the elongated grooves 28 are longer than the elongated interlocking projections 32, no great accuracy is required in mounting the several sets of interlocking elements in the pad sections and quick interlocking engagement between adjacent table pad sections is made possible.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of male interlocking element 36 for cooperating with the grooved interlocking plate member 25 of the other table section. The interlocking element 36 is made of a spring metal strip having a flat portion secured by rivets 31 to the plies of the pad section and is bent to form an interlocking projection 38 fitting into the somewhat longer opening of the grooved portion 28 of the interlocking element l3. The flat portion of the interlocking element 36 is sufiiciently large and serves in conjunction With its rivets 31 as a reinforcement for the pad sections.

The protective pad arrangement described above will suggest many other modifications thereof. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims be given an interpretation commensurate with the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a protective pad for tables or the like, a plurality of pad sections having overlapping tongues, each pad section comprising a plurality of plies united to form a firm protective pad body and a tongue along an edge of said pad formed of fewer plies than said pad body, interlocking means at the overlapping tongues of adjacent sections comprising at least two spaced sheet members, of a substance materially stronger than the substance of said plies, clamped between the plies of the body portion of each pad section for reinforcing the edge portion of the pad section and for establishing interlocking engagement with the adjacent pad section, each of said sheet members having a metallic interlocking member projecting over the tongue of the pad section, the interlocking member of a tongue of one pad section being shaped and arranged to form an inwardly bent elongated interlocking groove portion extending through the interior of the adjacent tongue in a direction substantially parallel to the edge of said tongue so as to reinforce the adjacent tongue, the cooperating interlocking member of a tongue of the adjacent pad section being shaped and arranged to form an outwardly bent U-shaped interlocking projection fitting into and establishing lateral and longitudinal interlocking engagement with said interlocking groove and to serve as reinforcement for the adjacent tongue.

2. In a protective pad for tables or the like, a plurality of pad sections having overlapping tongues, each pad section comprising a plurality of plies united to form a firm protective pad body and a tongue along an edge of said pad formed of fewer plies than said pad body, interlocking means at the overlapping tongues of adjacent sections comprising at least two spaced sheet members, of a substance materially stronger than the substance of said plies, clamped between the plies of the body portion of each pad section for reinforcing the edge portion of the pad section and for establishing interlocking engagement with the adjacent pad section, each of said sheet members having a metallic interlocking member projecting over the tongue of the pad section, the interlocking member of a tongue of one pad section being shaped and arranged to form an elongated interlocking groove extending through the interior of the tongue in a direction substantially parallel to the edge of said section and to overlap the edge of the adjacent tongue for reinforcing the same, the cooperating interlocking member of a tongue of the adjacent pad section being shaped and arranged to form an interlocking projection fitting into and establishing lateral and longitudinal interlocking engagement with said interlocking groove and to overlap the edge of the adjacent tongue for reinforcing the same.

3. In a protective pad for tables or the like, a plurality of pad sections having overlapping tongues, each pad section comprising a plurality of plies united to form a firm protective pad body and a tongue along an edge of said pad formed of fewer plies than said pad body, interlocking means at the overlapping tongues of adjacent sections comprising at least two spaced sheet members, of a substance materially stronger than the substance of said plies, clamped between the plies of the body portion of each pad section for reinforcing the edge portion of the pad section and for establishing interlocking engagement with the adjacent pad section, each of said sheet members having a metallic interlocking member projecting over the tongue of the pad section, the interlocking member of a tongue of one section being shaped and arranged to form an elongated interlocking groove extending through the plies of the tongue in a direction substantially parallel to the edge of said section and terminating in a flanged end portion clamping the plies of the tongue to the overlying sheet portion for reinforcing the tongue, the cooperating member of a tongue of the adjacent pad section being shaped and arranged to serve as a reinforcement for the underlying tongue and to form an outwardly bent U-shaped interlocking projection fitting into and establishing lateral and longitudinal interlocking engagement with said interlocking groove.

4; In a protective pad for tables or the like, a plurality of pad sections having overlapping flanges, each pad section comprising a plurality of plies united to form a firm protective body and a flange along an edge of said body formed of fewer plies than said body, interlocking means at the overlapping flanges of adjacent pad sections comprising one or more plates of a substance materially stronger than the substance of said plies clamped between the plies of the body portion of each pad section for interlocking adjacent pad sections, each of said plates having an interlocking member projecting over the flange of the section, the interlocking member of a flange of one section having therein an elongated interlocking groove extending substantially parallel to the edge of said section, the cooperating interlocking member of the adjacent section having an interlocking projection fitting into said interlocking groove and locked in said groove against lateral and longitudinal motion.

SOLOMON ASH. 

